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Sara Paretsky Biography:

Many of women make a name for themselves as authors every day in this world. There are more romance authors that are women that we can’t begin to count on both our hands and feet. However, there are very few crime novel authors that are women, and even less that are famous women crime novel authors. The one that is the best and brightest of all is Sara Paretsky. To learn more about this excellent crime novelist, take a look at her life, schooling, and how she became the author she is today by reading her entire biography below now.

The Beginning For Miss Sara Paretsky

She was born Sara Paretsky on June 8th, 1947 in Ames, Iowa. Though born in Iowa, Paretsky was raised in a small town in Kansas. A fairly good student in school, she graduated from high school in 1965 and went on to attend the University of Kansas. She graduated with a degree in political science. After graduating from college, she went on to do community service work on the South side of Chicago, Illinois, in 1966. After moving around, she returned back to Chicago in 1968, and ended up getting a PH. D from the University of Chicago in History in 1977. In addition, she also got an MBA from the University Of Chicago Graduate School Of Business.

Her Career

She released her first novel in 1982, called Indemnity Only. Since the early 1980s, Paretsky has written and released a total of seventeen novels, three eBooks, two short story collections, and two nonfiction novels. She also is an editor, editing three different crime short story collections for the New York Delacorte press, and the London Virago press. Her novels, however, is what skyrocketed her to fame and recognition, making her one of the best women crime writers in the world.

Sara’s Recurring Characters In Her Novels

Sara only has one recurring character that has appeared in all but two of her best-selling crime novels. The character is a woman, and her name is V I Warshawski. V I Warshawski is a female private investigator. She is known as the character that came before Lisbeth Salander and Stephenie Plum. Warshawski is the best of the best when it comes to female private investigators in crime novels, and has served as inspiration for many of the crime novels we read today.

Her Books Turned To Film

While none of her books have turned to major films, her major character, V I Warshawski, ended up with her own film. She was played by Kathleen Turner in the 1991 movie, V I Warshawski. The movie, unfortunately, did not do well. It ended up flopping at the box office, and was soon pulled from theaters worldwide due to horrible ratings.

Awards That Sara Has Won

Sara has won quite a few awards for her critically acclaimed novels. Out of several nominations, Sara Paretsky has won a handful of awards. These awards happen to include the Gold Dagger for her book called Blacklist, the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from several universities, the 2011 Anthony award, also called the Lifetime Achievement award. She also won the 1992 Anthony award for Best Short Story Collection for A Woman’s Eye.

Other Award Nominations

Sara had been nominated for two other awards, however she did not win them. These awards were the 1986 Anthony award for Best Debut Novel for Killing Orders. The other award she was nominated for was the 1989 Anthony award for Best Novel for Blood Shot.

Books That Are Considered Fan Favorites

Out of the seventeen novels that Sara has written, there are quite a few that are considered fan favorites. These books garnered her support, a rather large fan base, and a couple award nominations. These books include Killing Orders, Blood Shot, Bitter Medicine, Tunnel Vision, Ghost Country, Hardball, and her latest novel released in 2013, Critical Mass.

Her Short Stories

Sara had written a couple short story collections. These short story collections did rather well. The best collection she did was written and released in 1995 and was called A Taste of Life and Other Stories. She also wrote another short story collection called Windy City Blues, which was also written and released in 1995.

Foundations She Has Formed

Sara is a firm believer in social Justice. She formed a foundation called Sisters In Crime in 1986. This foundation works to help and support women readers and writers in the mystery world. She also formed the other foundation, Sara And Two C-Dogs Foundation. This one serves to girls and women in the arts, letters, and sciences.

Sara Paretsky’s Personal Life

Sara has been married for 38 years now. She married a professor of physics who works at the University of Chicago. She and Courtenay Wright got married in 1976 in Chicago, Illinois. She had three children. Like her heroine in her crime novels, Sara has a passion for singing. She is also a diehard fan of the Chicago cubs. And, ever the fan of delicious cappuccinos, she went to cappuccino school so she could make her own delicious cappuccino. Despite having three children, all grown, Sara also loves to spend time with her granddaughter, Maia. She and her husband live in Chicago with their beautiful dog they named Callie. Sara has lived in Chicago happily since 1968, and has not moved since she went to school and volunteered.

Serving On Several Literary Boards

Since she runs several foundations, Sara also is a part of several literary boards. These include working on the advisory board for literature for all of us, a separate literacy group for teenage mothers, and also a board called Thresholds, which services to help the homeless who are suffering from a mental illness. She has also mentored several students in inner city high schools.

Sara Paretsky is a diamond in the rough. She is an award winning crime novelist, she has several foundations that help women and girls alike to reach their true potential, and is a literary advisory board member. Sara continues to write chart topping crime novels that sell like hot cakes, and does what she can for her community. Learn more about Sara Paretsky by visiting her website, and reading her latest and greatest crime novels. Pick up her books now.

Master of the standalone thriller genre, Shari Lapena, is back. Author of The Couple Next Door and A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest is the latest novel by Shari. It takes place in a cozy mountain lodge in Winter where various people are staying for a romantic getaway. A blizzard cuts off the power and any contact with the outside world so everyone settles in for the long haul. Then a guest dies. And another. Knowing Shari's other books, this should be one we'll be reading late into the night. For more details or to pre-order, visit our Shari Lapena page.

Recommendations

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Featured Series

Our book series of the month is the Will Robie Series by David Baldacci. If you like Mitch Rapp, Jack Reacher, Jason Bourne etc then you'll love the Will Robie series. These are page turners to the max too and Baldacci knows how to keep you going all night long!

Featured Author

Bill Wenham is the author of various book series including The Inspector Charrington Mysteries and the Inspector Bruce Mysteries. He just started writing in his 80s to follow a life long dream. It’s an amazing story and the books he has written are pretty great too – his passion really shines through. Read more about Bills books.

Did You Know…

David Baldacci received a degree in B.A in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University and also a degree in Law from the University of Virginia. For nine years, he practiced law, first as a trial and then as a corporate attorney in Washington, D.C.